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Author Topic: Dead A4000, Need help diagnosing problem.  (Read 2192 times)

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Offline alberonnTopic starter

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Dead A4000, Need help diagnosing problem.
« on: August 20, 2006, 03:21:04 AM »
I have an A4000 desktop motherboard in a Power Tower case. It has the older daughterboard. (not the one with the PCI slots.) It also has an A2091 with Guru ROM, Picasso IV, and X-Surf II sitting in the Zorro slots. I have two Hard drives hooked yo to the motherboard, a CD-ROM and a IDE ZIP connected to the X-Surf, and I had a old CD Burner hooked up to the A2091. (I now have a Jaz drive hooked up and the bad burner removed, but my computer still won't fire up.)

The problem is this, my A4000 is usually on all of the time. However we had guests here and I shut it down so I wouldn't bug them with the whine of the harddrives. When I try to fire it up I have a dim power light and the drive light goes on for several seconds (I think under a minute,) and nothing happens. I'm hearing the drives spin up, but nothing. The LEDs on the X-Surf II light up as well.

I have disconnected all of my expansion boards and still the same thing. After reconnecting the boards and unplugging my hard drives I still have the same problem.

I suspect possibly the Power supply. However, I'm, not sure how to tell if it's the PS or my motherboard.

Before this I would occasionally see my Amiga with the power light dim, but a reboot usually fixed that problem. When the light is dim, it isn't working.

Someone please help!   :cry:
 

Offline alberonnTopic starter

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Re: Dead A4000, Need help diagnosing problem.
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2006, 03:29:35 AM »
I don't know if this info is important, but it does have the stock CBM '040-25 mHz board in it.
 

Offline alberonnTopic starter

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Re: Dead A4000, Need help diagnosing problem.
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2006, 05:36:26 AM »
Quote

Matt_H wrote:
So, it was working, you turned it off, and now it isn't?

I've found the top A4000 problems to be either battery damage or a loose CPU board.


Correct. It was was working fine and now it isn't. If it's battery damage, would it kill the board entirely and so suddenly? As to the CPU board, it doesn't get moved or vibrated much, if at all. But I can try inspecting things after our guests leave.
 

Offline alberonnTopic starter

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Re: Dead A4000, Need help diagnosing problem.
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2006, 04:36:34 AM »
Well, my guests have left and I was finally able to open up my case. The one thing about opening my Amiga up that much is that I have a lot of disassembly to do. I have to open up my case, pull all of my expansion boards and and unplug a few cables (And try to remember where and how all of this goes back in.)

First the good news, my problem was caused by my processor board being loose. That bit of foam rubber that Software Hut had in my case was not sufficient to hold it together. After I was able to reassenble, my system came up. Though one of the HDs had protested at being off for a while. But it fired up after a couple of warm boots. I think it's time to back up my system.

For the bad news is that my battery was getting a little fuzzy. I'll have to get a tool to cut it off. Since I usually leave my system on and use FACTS to set my clock, that's not too much of an issue. (I'm looking for a better replacement for FACTS to set my clock though.) Getting to the battery did require me to remove the daughter board. That involved several screws and an extremely tight-fitting board. It'll have to opened up again soon before the battery eats my board.